Arsenal star shows elite mentality in closing stages of 6-0 Champions League win

talksport.com, 29 November 2023, 22:52

Arsenal may have had a soft underbelly in years gone by, but Gabriel Magalhaes proved that those days have been and gone.

The Gunners ran out 6-0 winners over Lens to send them into the Champions League last 16 in top spot, but a late moment from the defender had fans purring.

With the clock ticking down, Mikel Arteta's players could be forgiven for taking their foot off the gas and saving their legs for a hectic run of matches coming up.

However, Brazilian defender Gabriel didn't get that memo.

Sliding in with a last-minute block to deny Lens a goalscoring opportunity, the 25-year-old pumped his fist and celebrated like he'd just scored the winning goal in the Champions League final.

That challenge may not have had an impact on the overall outcome of the game, however it did mean that Arsenal saw it out with another clean sheet to their name, a key metric in the success of their defensive game.

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Such a detail may not have been as important in years gone by, but judging by fans on social media, they're delighted that the mentality of their team is so elite.

One fan wrote: "The way Gabriel celebrated that block even when we were 6-0 up...you would think he just scored a last minute goal....that mentality."

Another said: "Yes, love that! Gabriel celebrating a block to prevent a goal when we are 6-0 up. The mentality of this defence is out of this world."

A third wrote: "The mentality of Gabriel is unrivalled," while another added: "The cleansheet mentality that we've developed will take us far not even joking."

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One last fan said: "Gabriel Magalhaes' celebration for a block in the 91st minute, with Arsenal 6-0 up, sums up the mentality of this Arsenal team. Everyone is focused on their role and they they all strive to be perfect in their execution."

Mikel Arteta's side are currently top of the Premier League going into their clash at home to Wolves on Saturday.

Read full version: https://talksport.com/football/1659940/arsenal-gabriel-magalhaes-elite-mentality-lens-champions-league/

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